Distance finder



strument.

Patented Feb. 15, 192'?.

irs

JAMES MUR-RAY WASHB'URN, @F CHCAG, ILLINOIS.

'DISTANCE FINDER.

Application ledrJanuary 7, 1922. Serial No. 527,556.

My present invention relates to improvenents in distance finder of the type shown in my prior Patents1,033,848,1,0337849, and 1 033,850.Y dated July 30, 1912, the same Abeing more especially designed for use in determining short distances for' photographic purposes. Ioivever,Y this construction may be made in larger sizes and .graduated tov determine longer distances than those shown; l

Among the objects of my invention are to Y improve upon the vsighting mechanism of an instrument of the character described; to provide a more readily read. direct reading instrument; to provide a shade for the prism of the instrument so that glaring illumination cannot be reflected from the .face of the prism toward the eye of the observer to interfere with observation and 'to prevent rays of light from other ob]ects being reflected by Vthe Vprism into an eye of rthe observer; to improve upon the mechanism by means of Which the instrumentis placed at a definite distance from the eye of the observer; to render the instrument more compact and capable of being carriedV in the users pocket and such further objects, advantages and capabilities as Will lat-er more fully appear.

invention further resides in the combination, construction and arrangement of parts illustrated in the accompanyingdraw'- ing and, While I have shown therein a preferred embodiment, I desire the saine to be' understood as illustrative only andv not as limiting my invent-ion.

Referring more 1n .detail to the drawing annexed hereto and forming a part hereof,

Fig.` 1 is a dia-gram illustrating the use of my invention.

Fig. 2 is a perspective view of my improved form of instrument.

Fig. 3 is a similar vieiv of theinstrument in closed condition.' Y v Fig. 4 is a longitudinal. horizontal section of the instrument opened up and showingl the relationshipof the parts Within the in- Fig. 5 is a longitudinal section substantially along Vthe plane indicated byV the line 5 5 Fig. 4.

Fig.V 6 is a transverse section substantially along the plane indicated by the line (5f-6 Fig. 4.

- Referring more 1n detail to the annexedY drawing, numeral 1 designates a casing and 2 a cover therefor, these two parts being tinged a s and being pleaded with fastening means 4 to hold the instrument closed.

r)The casing 1 comprises a pair of end members 5 and 6, Which may either be castings as shown or be formed of properly folded sheet metal, or made in any other appropriate manner, and a pair ofvside members 7 and 8. These parts are suitably secured Vtogether by any appropriate means such as screws 9. This arrangement is such that the opposite edges ofthe casing 1 are left open, and within this casing is liXedly mounted a prism 10. suitably secured asV by having its Vends inset slightlyuinto the end pieces V5 and 6. Pivoted at one end of one ofthe in Fig. 4'for the reception of a reel` 15 Within Which is mounted a spring 16 to causev thereel 4to Wind up a cord 17 v by means of which, when the same is unwound; the in-v strumentr4 may be held at the properpredetermined position from the observers eye. To. assist in this operation, a tab 18 is secured adjacent-the free end of the cord 17 and has an aperture 19 in one end thereof to permit the user to look therethrough when si ghting upon an object. In order Ito. facilitate getting this tab 18 close to the observers eye, whichV is the proper position during use, the same is bent at 20. This Willenable the user to get the apertured end of the tab behind his glasses if he uses such. In order to reduce to a. minimum the amount of Wear on the cord 17 when the saine is being pulled reinen out of and let intoY the case a roller 21 mayv` be mounted in the opening of the casing as shown. p Y

In use thek instrument is opened up as shown in Figs. 1 and 2 andthe cord/17 drawn out to full length, the tab 18 being placed close to the eye E (Fig.-1)rso that the ob- Yserver may look through the aperture 19 therein and through the slits 22 and 23 in the end portion of the cover 2. VWhen these three openings and the observers eye are in line with the object O (Fig. 1),v the observer then looks through prism l0 so lie will seethe object() through ,the scale S,v

etched in the face of theprism. Thisrenables the user to read the distance directly and Without resorting to the shifting of parts, Which is a very great simplification over any prior device with which I ain familiar. `VThe enlargement 24 intermediate the'endsiof the slit-23 renders it much easier to get theI two slits 22 and: 23' in alignnient with the object O. When the user has linish'ed. his observation, the spring or cord 17L isf permitted to roll up on reell l5 and the end'ofi theI tab 1S isV inserted in the cavity in end member 6, whereupon the shield 1l is turned on its pivot to enclose the tab within the casing` l. The cover 2 is then `turned on its pivots@ to close the tivok sides of the casing and the locking member 4 isv moved into locking' position to hold the; parts closed.

Itis ofcourse understood that the spe-` cie description of structure setv forth above may be` departed `from Without departing from the spiritof my invention asset forth in ,this Vspecification, andthe appended claims. Y Having new described my invention, I clailmzw-` e Y n n k1'; InV adistance finder, a basel having a pair of vertically extending separated Walls, a1 pair of vertically extending slits in said Walls in positionz to! determine a line of sight at substantially aii-ght*angle to the axis"- of the base', andmeansnon said base at a distance fromy said slitsand adapted to cosoperate'therewith in determining distances of objects. I. Y er 2. In a distance finder, a base havingla pair of vertically extending` separatedwalls, a' pairof vertically extending slits in said Walls-,in position to determi-nef a lineoft sight at substantially a right angle to the of the base, and means oir szrid-baseI at a distance from lsaidr slits and: adapted to ceope'rate therewith inf determining.distances of 'object-s, one of said slits having intermediate its ends anf enlargement t'ef assist in sightino'iV f 3. lin avdistanceiindenia base for supportingfsigliting means-and agrad'uated prism,

"termediate its ends to facilitate inserting one end behind glasses Worn by an observer. Li. Ina-d1stance iinder to be used at a iixed distance from an observers eye, a

cord of predetermined length to position the instrument at the proper distance and a tab secured. adjacent the end of the cord, said tab being bent intermediateits ends to facilitate rinserting one end thereof 'back of the observers glasses.4 Y

5. In a distance linder, a casing, a prism fixed therein,and a cover hinged thereto and adapted te fold over to cover the open faces of the casing, said cover having near its free end a pair of separated slots adapted to serve as sighting means. 6. A distance finder comprising a casing closed at its ends and sides and open at its edges, a prism secured therein between the open edges, and box-like cover hinged'adjacent one end and: adapted to fold over to cover opposite exposed faces ofthe prism.

its edges, a prismsecured therein between the open edges, said casing having a cavity in one end between the exterior thereof and the" adjacent end,` ofy the prism, a spring actuated reell carrying a cord to be Wound thereon"r mounted. in said cavity' of said c'a's-V ing, and afcover hinged adjacent one end and adapted to fold over to cover the open edges.V A Y Y 8. A distance finder comprising a casing closed at its ends and sides vand open` at its edges, a` prism secured thereinbetween they openedges, a shield Vpivoted tothe casing at one end of one oftheopen edges to close the saine when not in use, a springI actuated reel carrying a cord to rbefvvound tliereon mounted in one end of-said casing, and a cover hinged'adjaeent one end and` adapted to `fold over to cover the open edges.

A distanceY findercomprising a casing Yclosed at its endsandsides" andv opencat Ifn Witness whereof, I hereunto subscribe my name to this specificationk JAMES MURRAY l/VA'SHBURN.' 

